TAMPA, Fla. – All game long you knew the explosion was coming.
Larry Fitzgerald spent the most of Super Bowl XLIII in a straitjacket courtesy of the Steelers’ defense. His first catch didn’t come until late in the second quarter as Pittsburgh used double coverage to neutralize Arizona’s most dangerous weapon.
It worked – for a while.
Then Fitzgerald exploded like the fireworks used around Raymond James Stadium all night. He woke the Cardinals’ offense up with a huge fourth quarter, catching two touchdowns and improving Arizona’s title hopes with a jumpstart.
His first score was a 1-yard jump ball from Kurt Warner. He had four receptions on the series that went 87 yards.
The second one was a breathtaking 64-yard dash down the middle of the field that sent the Arizona sideline into a frenzy and the Pittsburgh one into shock. The touchdown gave Arizona a 23-20 lead, its first of the game.
The quick score ended up hurting the Cardinals ultimately, though, because it left Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh offense with enough time to drive down the field and score the game-winning touchdown, giving the Steelers a 27-23 victory in Super Bowl XLIII.
“It was like getting a chair pulled out from under you,” Fitzgerald said. “It just hurts to be able to get so close and fall short of your ultimate goal. You’ve got to tip your hat to . . . the Steelers.”
Fitzgerald entered the game with all the hype surrounding him. He was the focus of the pregame buildup after he gained a playoff-record 419 receiving yards in the Cards’ three postseason games.
That attention was not lost on Pittsburgh, who paid him plenty of attention all game. Cornerback Ike Taylor spent most of the night on Fitzgerald, bumping the big receiver on the line and then getting help over the top from safety Troy Polamalu.
“They do a lot of different coverages,” Fitzgerald said. “(Pittsburgh defensive coordinator) Dick LeBeau is an outstanding coordinator, if not the best, one of the best in the business. . . . They had us going in the first half a little bit. We were able to come in at halftime and make some adjustments.”
The adjustment worked and Fitzgerald finished the game with seven catches for 127 yards and the two scores.
